Carrot Cake Truffles

 3 cups Carrot Cake Scraps (recipe below)

 2-4 tablespoons Liquid Cheesecake (recipe below)

 1/2 recipe Milk Crumb finely ground in a food processor (recipe below)

 3 oz. White Chocolate 

Combine the crushed up cake with 2 tablespoons of the liquid cheesecake. Using your hands mush it all together. If it is moist enough to knead into a ball it's great- if not, add some more liquid cheesecake until it's ready. Portion out 12-15 balls of the mixture- roll them together with your hands and set them aside on a cookie sheet. 

Melt the white chocolate and put it in a shallow bowl. Using a spoon, dip each ball of cake into the white chocolate and tap it on the side of the bowl until all the drips are off. (Christina says to do this with gloved hands, but I didn't have gloves so I used this method instead.) Then toss it in the milk crumb until well coated. Put them in the fridge for at least 5 minutes to fully set the chocolate. The truffles can be stored in an airtight container for unto a week in the fridge.

 Makes 12-15 Truffles

Carrot Cake

 (This recipe makes way more cake than the amount needed for the truffles. I say snack on the leftovers- or just make extra truffles.)

 1 stick butter- room temp.

 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

 1/2 granulated sugar

 2 eggs

 1/4 cup grape seed or vegetable oil

 1 1/4 cups flour

 1 tsp. baking powder

 1/4 tsp. baking soda

 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

 2 1/2 cups shredded peeled carrots (2-3 medium sized carrots)

Preheat oven to 350.

 Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on a medium-high for 2 to 3 mins. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs, and mix on medium-high for 2 to 3 mins. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more. 

On low speed, stream in the oil, Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and paddle for 4 to 6 mins, until the mixture is practically white, twice the size of your original fluffy butter/sugar mixture, and completely homogenous, with no streaks of fat. Don't rush the proces. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

On low speed, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix for 45-60 seconds, just until your batter comes together and any remnants of dry ingredients have been incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

Detach the paddle and remove the bowl from the mixer. Dump the shredded carrots into the bowl and, with a spatula, fold hem into the batter. 

Light coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and using a spatula, spread the batter in an even layer in the pan.

Bake for 25-30 mins. The cake will rise and puff, doubling in size, but will remain slightly buttery and dense. At 25 minutes, gently poke the edge of the cake with your finger, if it bounces back slightly and isn't jiggly in the center, it's done. Leave it in for 3-5 more minutes if it isn't quite done. 

Cool the cake on a wire rack (or in the freezer.)

Liquid Cheesecake

 (This full recipe will make way more than enough for these truffles. There are many uses for it though- I think it would be amazing as a glaze for cinnamon rolls!)

 8 oz. Cream Cheese

 3/4 cup Sugar

 1 tablespoon cornstarch

 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

 2 tablespoons milk

 1 egg 

Heat oven to 300 F. Put cream cheese into a medium sized bowl and using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for 2 mins. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the sugar and mix for 1-2 mins, until the sugar has been completely incorporated. Scraped down the sides of the bowl .

 Whisk together the cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk in a slow, steady stream, then whisk in the egg until the slurry is homogenous. (ps I love that she uses the word "slurry") 

With the mixer on a medium low speed, stream in the egg slurry. Paddle for 3 or 4 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and loose. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

Line the sides and bottom of a 6x6 baking pan with plastic wrap. (I used an 8x8 pan- I don't think it matters much.) Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan and bake for 15 mins.  It is done when it is set on the edges but still jiggly in the center. If the edges aren't quite set, bake for 5 min increments until it's done- no more than 25 minutes. 

Cool completely to finish the baking process and allow the cheesecake to set. It will be creamy and spreadable and can be stored in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to a week.

Milk Crumb

 1/4 cup milk powder

 1/8 cup flour

 1 tablespoon cornstarch

 1 tablespoon sugar

 1/4 tsp. salt

 2 tablespoons melted butter

 1/8 cup milk powder

 1.5 oz white chocolate 

Heat the oven to 250 F. Combine the 1/4 cup of milk powder with the flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Toss with your hands to mix. Add the butter and toss using a spatula until the mixture comes together and forms small clusters. 

Spread the clusters on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 20 mins. (mine got too toasty brown at 15 mins. If your oven runs hot- check it frequently to make sure it doesn't brown too much.) The crumbs should be sandy and the kitchen will smell amazing! Cool crumbs. 

Crush any bits that are larger than 1/2 inch diameter and put the crumbs in a medium bowl. ADd the rest of the milk powder and toss together. 

Pure the white chocolate over the crumbs and toss until the crumbs are all well-coated. Continue tossing them every 5 mins until the white chocolate hardens and the clusters aren't sticky. Run the dried and cooled clusters through the food processor before using them for the truffles. 

http://www.the-baker-chick.com/2012/02/milk-bar-mondays-carrot-cake-truffles.html